


The Next Great Adventure

by TreacleTart



Series: The Adventureverse [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Afterlife, Community: HPFT, Dobby The House Elf - Freeform, F/M, M/M, Multi, The Next Great Adventure
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-13
Updated: 2017-04-15
Packaged: 2018-08-08 14:12:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 9
Words: 15,616
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7760995
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TreacleTart/pseuds/TreacleTart
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>WINNER - The Pride of Gryffindor Awards 2017 - Best Post-War<br/>2nd Place in Frankie05's Dobby Challenge</p><p>A tale of death, love, and the bond that holds everyone together.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. An Old Friend

Stunning Chapter image by Asphodelic @ TDA!

Harry Potter lay in the bed he’d shared with his wife Ginny for the past eighty two years. Fluffy pillows were piled behind his head and a down comforter kept him warm. His house was silent except for the occasional rustling downstairs. It was the perfect Sunday morning.

A vague awareness of the sun shining through the curtains told Harry that it was time for him to make an effort to get up, but the truth was he was simply exhausted. He felt as if every single one of the one hundred and three years he’d been living was weighing him down. His bones ached with age and his muscles were weary. He just didn’t have the energy to get up.

The truth was that it had been getting progressively harder and harder from him to get out of bed over the last few months. Although nothing in particular was wrong with him and the Healers had proclaimed him to be in perfect health for his age, Harry could feel death just around the corner. He didn’t know how to explain it in a medical context, but he could feel bits and pieces of himself coming undone. Today he felt more than ever as if he had come apart so much so that there was nothing left holding him together.

Intellect told him that he was nearing death and at first Harry had tried to deny it. He had felt its icy presence in the peripherals of his life but took comfort in the fact that it was still a ways away. Now, however, it was clear that death was sitting next to him, ready to shepherd him into the great beyond. 

Others might’ve felt nervous about dying, but Harry recalled death like an old friend. He’d faced him twice already and survived to tell, but this time he knew it was different. Something deep inside of him told him that it was time. Today would be his last day on earth.

“Ginny,” Harry called with as much force as his old lungs could muster. He waited silently, listening to her feet pad carefully up the stairs.

A smile spread across his face as she poked her head in through the doorway. “Finally awake, are you? I thought you were planning to sleep all day.”

Harry appreciated Ginny’s ability to tease him, even when she knew things were dire. It was one of the things that he loved most about her.

“It’s time,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper. 

Ginny stepped forward into the room. She sat gingerly on the side of the bed next to him and placed her hand lightly on his chest. “If you’re sure, I’ll call the children, but I don’t want to upset them needlessly if you aren’t.”

“I’m sure,” he managed to creak out.

An hour later, Harry was surrounded by his children, grandchildren, and even a few great grandchildren. James had made his best attempt to keep the mood light with jokes and tales of the trouble he, Albus, and Lily had gotten into when they were younger, but a tinge of sadness permeated each of his words. He appreciated the effort none the less.

A great desire to make a poignant speech filled Harry. He wanted to offer his family some words of comfort, to encourage them not to waste time mourning because this wasn’t really goodbye so much as a ‘see you later’. He tried several times to speak, but his voice turned to dust in his throat.

With each breath, his lungs labored harder and harder. Soon he felt as if he wasn’t getting quite as much oxygen as he needed and the room started to blur around the edges. He took one last look at the people who were so dear to him. 

Mustering up all of the strength left in his ailing body, Harry murmured “I love you. All of you.” 

The last thing he saw before his vision went dark was a flash of his wife’s once brilliant red hair.


	2. Chapter 1: Happenings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A meeting of all those who have moved on to the Afterlife

  
Chapter Image by the phenomenal Asphodelic @ TDA! 

Dobby sat at a table in a crowded bar surrounded by his friends. He held an ice-cold gillywater in his hand and sipped it timidly, still unsure of exactly how to deal with being treated like an equal. Dumbledore had called him here along with the others, but had failed to explain why.

The air in the bar was hot and heavy with tension and there was an inexplicable sense of unease that settled around them. Looking around at the people present Dobby realized that they were all unusually quiet. A normally boisterous Sirius Black sat staring into his glass of firewhiskey and Remus Lupin sat beside him staring off at the clock. Lily and James Potter were perched silently to his left. On the other side of the table was a sea of red. Molly, Arthur, and Bill wore forced grins as Fred tried his best to lighten the mood with jokes.

“Anyone know what this is about?” Sirius asked, swirling his firewhiskey around in his glass. His focus was consumed by the beads of condensation trickling down the sides of the cup.

Dobby looked hopefully at the others, but he realized quickly that they were all in the dark too. He wondered what Dumbledore could have to say that required so much mystery.

Before Dobby could ponder it much longer Dumbledore emerged through the bar doors. A severe-looking Minerva McGonagall trailed behind him. 

“I know you’re all wondering why I’ve called you here today,” he said as he approached the table. “We’re under a bit of a time constraint, so I’ll just get straight to the point…”

“That’s a first,” Fred said. 

Dobby snorted and then immediately felt guilty for it. Dumbledore was a great wizard. It wasn’t his place to make fun of him. He knew he’d have to punish himself for it later.

“Astute observation, Mr. Weasley,” replied Dumbledore with a twinkle in his eye. “Now, to the matter at hand. I’ve just had word that Harry is in his final moments on Earth. Soon he will begin his journey here.”

Lily’s head shot up. “Harry? But that means we need to choose a guide…”

Molly’s fork clattered to her plate as she looked up at Dumbledore with her mouth agape. “Surely they won’t make him go through that arcane procedure. For Merlin’s sake, the poor boy has been through enough already.”

“He’s hardly a boy anymore,” Sirius muttered dryly.

Molly looked set to argue but Arthur put a hand on her arm and she seemed to think better of herself. “Yes, I suppose you’re right. It’s just that after the war and everything, I’d hoped that maybe there would be some sort of exception for him.”

Dumbledore fixed her with a kindly look. “Ah, my dear Molly, as much as I wish an exception could be made, it isn’t possible. Everyone has to pass the test to enter the afterlife. Harry is no different than the rest.”

Remus shifted in his seat and spoke for the first time since the meeting began. “So you’ve called us here to decide who will guide him through his test, I assume?”

Dumbledore nodded. “That’s correct.”

“Obviously Lily or James would want to go. They’re his parents!” blurted Sirius. “That shouldn’t even be a question.”

Professor McGonagall looked at him calmly and said, “No one is suggesting that James and Lily don’t want to see Harry, but we need to consider what’s best for him in this situation. We want him to have the best chance possible at passing.”

James’ face remained neutral but his jaw was set firmly in place and he gripped his wife’s hand with a vice-like grip. “If you’re trying to say that I shouldn’t go to retrieve Harry, you’ve got another thing coming.”

Lily’s face dropped and she looked as if she were struggling with a difficult thought. Her brow furrowed and her mouth pressed into a thin line. “But if you don’t make it,” she said in a voice that was barely audible. 

Wrapping his arms around his wife, James tried to do his best to comfort her. “Of course we’ll make it. It’s Harry and me. The two of us can make it through anything.”

“I know it’s selfish,” Lily said averting her eyes to the table. “I'd rather go myself. I don't think I can sit here waiting around with the two of you in danger. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if you two didn't make it.”

“You’re not being selfish, Lil’. I understand,” James said. 

Dumbledore studied the couple for a moment. His eyes sparkled with moisture. “This is precisely what I wanted to talk about. I think it unwise to send one half of a married couple or break up a family for the reasons that Lily has already pointed out.”

“But then who should we send?” Molly asked, eyeing the people surrounding her. She made an unpleasant face as she locked onto Sirius.

“Well, then its set. I’ll go and get Harry,” said Sirius, a glimmer of excitement in his eyes. “I am his godfather after all.”

“Do you think that’s a wise decision?” Molly questioned in a cold voice.

Sirius shot from his seat. “What are you trying to say?” 

“It might be better to consider someone else.” Molly stood up as well and met Sirius’ furious glare.

“Do you have some sort of problem with me, Molly?” said Sirius, the fury mounting in his voice with each word.

“I do have a problem. The last time you went rushing off on an impulse you got yourself killed. We can’t afford that type of mistake this time!” Molly spat. Her cheeks had turned bright red as if she was burning with anger.

Sirius looked as if he’d been slapped. “I seem to recall that I was also saving your son when I rushed off on an impulse. Think you’d be bloody grateful…” he shot back.

Arthur put a hand on his wife’s wrist once more. “Molly, you aren’t being fair. You know Sirius was only trying to protect the children.”

With one last furious look at Sirius, she returned to her seat and crossed her arms in front of her.

“What do you think, Albus?” Sirius demanded.

Dumbeldore fixed him with an appraising gaze. “I think that you should listen to what I have to say before we decide. There are many qualified wizards at this table and I don’t doubt that any of you would risk your lives for Harry, but we need to think about who has the specific skills that he will need to make it through his test.”

Remus looked calmly around the table. “Did you have someone particular in mind?”

“I did, in fact. I think it prudent that we send Dobby,” answered Dumbledore.

Dobby sat in the middle of the table. A look of shock was plastered across his face. It was clear that he had no expectation of being suggested as a guide. 

Everyone turned to stare at him, bewildered by the seemingly off the wall announcement.

“Dobby would be honored to guide Harry Potter, sir, but Dobby wonders if he is qualified enough for the job. Dobby realizes there are far more powerful wizards and that he is just a house elf, sir.”

“Ahh…but that is precisely why I think it best that you be the one. You are humble. You don’t over estimate your abilities. You are devoted to Harry and in fact, gave your life to save his. And while I don’t think you’ll need to, I believe that if Harry’s life were in danger during the challenges, you would do everything in your power to protect him, including giving your life again.”

The table was silent.

Finally, Minerva broke the silence. “How do you feel about this, Dobby? Do you believe that you can guide Harry through his test?”

The small elf trembled slightly. “If Dobby is being honest, Dobby is scared, Miss, but Dobby has no family here. The great Harry Potter is Dobby’s only family, Miss. Dobby will make sure Harry Potter passes his test.”

“Then it’s settled,” Dumbledore said as he stroked his beard in thought.

“Wait just a minute!” Sirius shouted, flecks of spittle flying from his mouth. “You’re telling me that you’d rather have a house elf go to get Harry than me. You’re bloody mental!”

“Sirius,” Remus said calmly. “This isn’t about you. It’s about Harry. I think we should trust Dumbledore’s judgment. He’s never mislead us before.”

“You too, Moony? This is absurd. That bloody elf is going to get Harry killed and you’re all just going to go along with it!” Sirius yelled as he turned and stormed out of the bar.

Immediately, Dobby began to bang his head against the table and mutter, ‘Bad Dobby. Bad Dobby.’ Every time his head smashed into the wood it caused the table to shake and slosh drinks all over the place.

Fred reached out to the small elf and grabbed him by the shoulders. “Stop it. You haven’t done anything wrong. You don’t need to punish yourself.”

“But sir, Dobby upset Sirius Black. Dobby is needing to punish himself.”

“Dobby, you’ve done nothing to upset Sirius,” said Remus in a soft voice.

Dumbledore took a slow sip of his gillywater. “We only have a few more moments, so I’ll need your full attention. Dobby, you will need to report to headquarters where they will give you a portkey to the meeting point. Once at the meeting point, you will wait for Harry to arrive. That’s where it gets difficult, Harry will have many questions, but you have to be careful how much you tell him directly. You must not tell him what’s about to happen. He needs to figure it out himself. It is your job to help him through, to give him advice, to be his support.” 

“Remember,” added Minerva, “Even if you can see the answer to the test, you mustn’t tell Harry what it is. He has to figure it out himself.”

Dobby nodded his head in agreement. “Dobby will not let you down. Dobby will bring Harry Potter to the afterlife safely.”

“Good,” said Dumbledore. “You better hurry along then, so you make it in time. Better for you to get there a little bit early so you have a few moments to prepare.”

“Yes, sir. Dobby will go there now.” He stood up and prepared to exit the bar. 

“Dobby?” called Lily.

“Yes, miss?

Lily wrapped Dobby into a tight hug. “Take care of yourself. We’ll miss you while you’re gone.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi there
> 
> I hope you enjoyed my version of the Afterlife. In the next chapter, we’ll get to see Harry and the start of his test.
> 
> As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts, so feel free to leave me a comment in the little grey box below.
> 
> Thanks for reading.
> 
> ~Kaitlin/TreacleTart


	3. Chapter 2: The Transportation Office

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The search continued until Merv held up a paint splattered screw driver in triumph. “Ahhh. Here we are. Potter, Harry James. Due in exactly five minutes. If you’ll just grab hold of this, in a moment's time you’ll be on your way.”

Gorgeous CI by Asphodelic @ TDA!

The day was coming to a close as Dobby hurried through the streets of the afterlife. He knew that he had to make it to the transportation office before sunset. If he failed, Harry might wake up at the transition point before he could get to him. It would be disastrous if he somehow ended up heading in the wrong direction.

As the building loomed in sight, Dobby quickened his pace. He could see several people inside of it scurrying around. Blinds were being drawn shut against the windows and lights were flicking off in preparation for the end of the day.

Just as Dobby reached the front door, a man walked up to it and flipped the open sign over so that it read closed. The man pushed the door open slightly and popped his head out.

“Sorry, sir,” he said, “Office is closed for the night. You’ll have to come back to arrange your transport tomorrow morning. We open at eight a.m. sharp, but we’re usually pretty busy at that time, so I recommend arriving early.”

“Please, sir. Dobby must get his portkey today, sir,” squeaked the little elf.

The man looked mildly annoyed. “If you needed the portkey so badly, you should’ve arrived earlier. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to finish locking up. My wife is cooking a pot roast tonight and I don’t want to be late.”

Dobby stumbled backwards as the man allowed the door to swing shut in his face. Regaining his balance, he rushed forward and pounded his tiny fists against the glass. It made no difference. The man locked the door without so much as a second glance and disappeared into his office.

Disappointment and frustration filled Dobby as he considered the situation. Harry Potter might have already passed on, but this door was keeping him from getting there to help. He began to wonder if Sirius had been right after all. Maybe he wasn’t cut out to guide Harry safely to the afterlife. He hadn’t even managed to show up in time. How could he possibly help him through the grueling tests he was sure to face?

Tears of despair began to trickle down the elf’s face.

“Dobby must not fail the great Harry Potter,” he reminded himself.

A thin piece of glass was all that stood between Dobby and the portkeys inside. He knew he could shatter it in seconds if he used magic, but he wasn’t quite sure he remembered how. In the afterlife he’d never had cause to use it. Everything just seemed to happen and he’d never thought to question how.

Thinking back to his years on earth, Dobby tried to focus on the magic within himself. He put his fingers on the glass and imagined it shattering to bits below them, but nothing happened. He tried again, focusing harder, but still the glass remained intact. Wracking his brain, he thought back on how the magic felt coursing through his body. Although he could envision it, there was something missing. It was like he was hearing the melody of a song, but couldn’t recall the lyrics.

 

Just as he was about to give up, Dobby spotted a large rock on the ground. If he could heave that rock through the glass it would certainly make a hole and then he could climb right through. It would work, but there was one problem. He knew it was wrong.

“Dobby must not fail Harry Potter,” he mumbled once more. The thought of Harry alone, scared, and confused waiting at the transition point was all it took.

With all of the strength that his miniature body possessed, Dobby lifted the rock, struggling as he brought it up to his chest and tossed it through the door. Glass exploded in all directions, showering him in tiny little shards. Cuts and nicks formed all across his body, but he paid them no mind. Instead, he began pounding his head against the remainder of the frame.

“Bad Dobby. Bad Dobby. Very bad Dobby,” he shouted with each whack.

“What in the bloody hell are you doing?” shouted the man as he charged out of his office. “Are you mental?”

The yelling did little to stop the elf, who was bashing his head against the wall at a more and more frantic rate. Deep purple bruises were beginning to bloom on his forehead from the repeated blows and blood trickled freely from several different cuts. He only stopped when strong hands grabbed his chest and pulled him back.

“Alright. Alright. You’ve punished yourself enough. Now, can you tell me what in the ruddy hell you’re trying to do?” shouted the man with a look of concern on his face.

“I’m sorry, sir, but Dobby must get to Harry Potter. Dobby is the guide to Harry Potter and Dobby must not fail him!”

The man stopped in his tracks. “Going to the transition point, are you? Why didn’t you just say so? I could’ve saved you all the hassle. You want the office just around the corner. They stay open twenty four hours a day,” he said with a chuckle. His laughter echoed out of the empty room. “Let me just fix this up and I’ll show you where to go.”

“Dobby is sorry, sir. He was not knowing where to go and he was scared that he would fail.” Staring down at the ground, shame burned through him for his irrational actions.

With a snap of his fingers, the man returned the glass to its previous state.

“There. No harm done, although you look a right mess. Let’s get you all cleaned up then.” With a second snap of the fingers, the cuts and bruises disappeared and the blood that decorated his arms and legs vanished. “Now, if you’ll just follow me,” the man called as he stepped through the door and took off around the corner.

Trailing a few steps behind, Dobby followed the man to the back of the building. He noticed a dark unassuming grey door that opened up into a dimly lit office. The entrance was hidden by several trees, and even if he had known where he was supposed to be going, he could’ve easily missed it.

The man opened the door and said, “Evening Merv. Got someone here about a portkey to the transition point.”

Dobby entered the dingy, dilapidated office and almost jumped as the door slammed shut behind him. The man identified as Merv loomed over the desk, eyeing the elf with intense scrutiny. His eyes bulged and although he was smiling, he looked rather threatening. He reminded him a bit of the man who had sold wands in Diagon Alley so many years ago.

“Ahhh. Master Dobby, we’ve been expecting you. Please, step forward,” Merv whispered in a mysterious voice. “Harry Potter has just passed on from his previous life, so we haven’t much time to spare.”

Shifting nervously, Dobby tried to pay attention, but something about Merv made him feel uncomfortable. Perhaps it was his toothless smile or the way he stared as if he was looking through him.

“Now, before you go I’m obligated to make sure you understand that if your charge fails, you fail too, and that means that both of your souls will no longer exist. Is that clear?”

“Yes, sir. Dobby understands, sir.”

“And you’re doing this of your own free will? You weren’t coerced into doing this?”

“No, sir. Dobby loves Harry Potter and would do anything to help him, sir.”

“Very well. I have your portkey here. When it begins to glow you will grab hold and it will take you straight to the transition point. It’s there that you will meet your charge and continue on your journey. Keep in mind that if at any point you tell your charge that he’s being tested, your soul will cease to exist automatically and your charge’s memory will be erased. He will then continue through the tests alone and unguided.” 

Dobby trembled slightly. “I understand, sir.”

“Before you go, do you have any questions?”

“Just one, sir. How will I find Harry Potter?”

Merv smiled. “You needn’t worry about that. Each transition point is unique to the individual. You’ll find him easily.”

Dobby doubted that it was as simple as Merv made it sound, but he didn’t want to delay any longer. “Thank you, sir. Dobby is ready.”

A rustling sound came from under the desk as Merv searched for the correct portkey. He pulled out an old rubber boot and quickly tossed it aside. “Weasley, Charlie. No. No. No. That’s not it. He’s not due to pass for another couple of weeks.”

Merv dived back under his desk. This time he surfaced with a battered, red plastic cup. He studied it for a moment, looking for the name on it. “Not quite. Longbottom, Hannah. She’s due in a couple days from now.”

The search continued until Merv held up a paint splattered screw driver in triumph. “Ahhh. Here we are. Potter, Harry James. Due in exactly five minutes. If you’ll just grab hold of this, in a moment's time you’ll be on your way.”

As Dobby reached out to take the portkey, his hand trembled betraying the emotions welling up inside of him. He was terrified at the thought of losing his own soul, but thrilled at the thought of seeing Harry once more. He was just contemplating what it would be like to talk to his old friend when a strange pulling sensation behind his belly button distracted him. Seconds later everything went black and he could feel himself spinning through space.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi there! 
> 
> Here’s the next chapter! What do you think of Dobby’s adventures so far? Do you think he’ll be able to find Harry right away or will something happen that keeps them apart? 
> 
> I’d love to know what you thought of this and reviews help keep me motivated, so if you have a moment to leave a comment, it would be appreciated greatly.
> 
> Thanks for reading! 
> 
> ~Kaitlin


	4. Chapter 3: The Beginning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dobby finds Harry at the transition point

  
Beautiful Chapter Image by Asphodelic at TDA! 

 

Harry lay face down, sleeping on hard cement. His arms stuck out at odd angles underneath his body and his robes tangled with his legs. He was having a series of pleasant dreams ranging from Hagrid arriving at the Dursley’s for the first time all the way to the last time he’d kissed Ginny. Little did he know, his life was literally flashing before his eyes.

In the peripherals of his consciousness, Harry heard a familiar voice calling him, but he couldn’t quite place who it was. Zoning it out, he tried to focus on the moments passing through his mind, but the longer he ignored it, the louder and more urgent it grew.

“Harry Potter must wake up!” the voice squeaked loudly in Harry’s left ear.

A sharp movement jolted Harry from his sleep. He wanted to stay with his dreams, but he couldn’t fight it any longer. With an exasperated sigh, he rolled over and snapped, “Alright. Alright. I’m up. Just stop shaking me.”

“Dobby is terribly sorry sir, but Dobby had to make sure Harry Potter woke up.”

“Dobby?” Harry said, as he sat up and pushed his glasses up onto the bridge of his nose. Wrapping his arms around the elf’s shoulders, he drew him into a tight hug. “How have you been? I’ve missed you.”

Tears leaked from the elf’s eyes as he returned the embrace with as much force as he could muster. “Dobby has missed you too, sir,” he whispered, his voice wavering with emotion.

“What are you doing here?”

“Dobby is here to lead Harry Potter to the afterlife. We must be hurrying, sir. There isn’t much time,” he said, glancing up at the large clock hanging off of the wall a few feet away.

Looking around, Harry realized that he was in the same version of King’s Cross that he’d visited with Dumbledore so many years ago. It was spotlessly clean and as it had been previously, it was completely deserted except for the large red train spewing smoke on the tracks in front of him. It was a mere ghost of the real life version.

“Are we supposed to board the train?” he said, nodding in its direction.

“Yes, sir.”

“Where will it take us?”

“Dobby will explain everything once we are on the train, but right now, we is needing to hurry, sir.”

Getting up took a great effort from Harry and in the end Dobby had to help pull him into a standing position. Once standing, his knees creaked and his back ached. It took several steps before his muscles started to loosen back up. Although his body reflected how he’d looked in his prime, he could still feel the weight of old age in his bones.

As the pair approached the train, a conductor in a dark green suit stepped out of the doorway. He studied them intently, paying a large amount of attention to Harry.

“Ah. Mr. Potter, we’ve been expecting you,” he said. “You too, Mr. Dobby.”

A bright red blush spread across the elf’s cheeks and his eyes moistened as if he were set to cry. “Nobody has ever called Dobby, Mister before.”

The conductor only smiled and motioned the pair inside of the train.

The two of them walked down the center aisle, passing compartment after empty compartment until they reached the very end. Harry couldn’t quite place why, but he wanted to sit in the last compartment as he’d always done with Ron and Hermione. They took their seats just as the engines groaned to life and the train began to pull forward out of the station. The wheels creaked loudly below them as it moved faster and faster.

“So where is it that we’re going?” Harry said, watching as the station disappeared from view.

“To the weighing of the wands, sir. In order to pass on into the afterlife, every witch or wizard must do it.”

Harry looked puzzled for a minute. “What do you mean?”

“Dobby isn’t knowing much about it, sir, but each person must weigh their wand to see if they are deserving of the afterlife, sir. Dobby is certain that Harry Potter will pass.”

The pair lapsed into silence as the train reached its full traveling speed.

“Dobby?”

“Yes, sir?”

“If witches and wizards weigh their wands, what did you have to weigh?”

For a moment, Dobby hesitated, studying the threads that had come loose on the top of his socks. “Dobby had to weigh his heart, sir.”

“How does one weigh his own heart?”

“Dobby had to drink a potion, sir, and a hole opened in Dobby’s chest. Then Dobby had to pull out his own heart and place it on the scale. Once the scale weighed it, Dobby was allowed to pass into the afterlife.” The elf shuddered at the memory. “It hurt Dobby a lot, sir.”

Unsure of what to say, Harry stared off out of the window. There was nothing but green for miles. The sky was a crystalline blue and lightly dotted with thin wisps of white clouds. The tall grass that bordered the tracks shook and swayed with the current of the train.

The scenery reminded him of a perfect spring day that he had once spent teaching James to play Quidditch. He’d taken his son to the field behind their home and started by throwing the quaffle into the air for him to catch. It had become apparent within moments that James was a rather prodigious flyer and had a natural ability for the sport. He’d decided that tossing quaffles was futile and instead joined him in the air. The pair had spent the rest of the day racing around the yard. It had taken Ginny yelling at them to come in for supper to finally get them off of their brooms and then only begrudgingly. It had been one of the best days of his life.

A wave of sadness washed over Harry as he realized it would be a long time before he’d see his children again, but then he remembered he’d finally have the chance to see his parents, Sirius, and everyone else who’d passed on before him. The thought of getting to hold his mother after all of these years filled him with excitement.

“Dobby, will my parents be at the wand ceremony? What about the Weasleys? Sirius? Remus?” Harry said, tearing his eyes away from the view.

“No, sir. No one is allowed at the weighing of the wands except for the two of us.”

“Why is it that you’re allowed to be here?” Harry questioned, surprised to hear that Dobby would be allowed, but not his own parents.

“Dobby is Harry Potter’s guide, sir. It is Dobby’s job to bring you to the afterlife.”

“Right, but how did you end up here? Why not Dumbledore or Sirius or my mum?”

Dobby lowered his gaze to the floor and his ears drooped with disappointment. It looked as if he were fighting back tears.

“Not that I’m not happy you’re here,” Harry added upon seeing his friend’s reaction. “I just wondered how you ended up with this task.”

“Dumbledore chose me, sir,” Dobby said, his ears perking back up.

A short burst of laughter escaped from Harry’s throat. “Why does that not surprise me? Does he run things in the afterlife as well?”

“Not exactly, sir..”

The conversation was interrupted when the door swung open and an elderly woman pushed a food cart in. Harry was surprised to see that she was the same witch who had pushed the sweets trolley during his school days. She’d been dead for at least fifty years, but she looked exactly as he remembered her all the way down to her maroon cardigan.

“Would either of you dears like something to eat?” she asked, smiling at the two of them.

“Let’s have a couple of chocolate frogs, some Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans, and a few pumpkin pasties,” Harry said, slipping his hand into his pocket in search of galleons. “Oh. I don’t seem to have any money.”

“There’s no money required here sweetheart. You two have a lovely day.” She handed them their confections and rolled her cart out of the carriage.

Harry tossed a handful of sweets to Dobby and peeled the wrappers off of his own. “I haven’t had one of these in ages. Makes me think of Ron and Hermione and all of our years on the Hogwarts Express. Ron and I pretty much bonded over chocolate frogs. To think all of these years later each of us has our own card. Ron said it was his finest moment.”

Dobby’s eyes opened wide. “How is Harry Potter’s Wheezy?”

“He’s doing well. He and Hermione have been together for ages. They’ve got two children, Rose and Hugo. They both look just like their mum, except for the bright red Weasley hair. Then there’s the grandchildren. Rose married Luna’s son Lysander and they have a pair of twins who Rose insisted on naming Fred and George. It makes things confusing because her Uncle George has a son named Fred, so whenever someone says either of their names, they have to specify which Fred or George they’re talking about. Hugo settled down with Scorpius Malfoy much to his father’s dismay, but the two of them are perfect for each other really. They have a beautiful daughter named Sarah and live in Wales.”

“Dobby is happy to hear that, sir. Dobby always liked Harry’s Wheezy.”

“Me too. He’s just the type of person that you can’t help but make friends with I suppose. Although he’s turned into quite the barmy old codger these days. I’ll sure miss him until he passes on. This is really the first time since I was eleven that I’ve been without Hermione and him.” Anxiety flashed across Harry’s face as he thought about his friends and how they might be coping with his passing. “I suppose I’ll be so busy catching up with everyone here that it’ll be alright.”

“Everyone is excited to see the great Harry Potter, especially your mother, sir.”

“You know my mum?”

“Of course, sir. Dobby is knowing everyone. When Dobby passed on, the great Lily Potter was the first to find Dobby and offer him a place to stay. Dobby was very honoured, sir.”

“Do you…” Harry started to ask, but he paused when he noticed Dobby doing something odd. The elf had opened the pack of Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans and was sorting them into two piles. Try as he might, Harry couldn’t figure out the rhyme or reason. There didn’t seem to be a particular colour pattern to the piles nor was he simply splitting them evenly. “What are you doing?”

“Dobby is sorting the jelly beans, sir. This pile is for you, sir.”

Reaching out his hand, Harry scooped up the mound of jelly beans. He analyzed the sweets in his hand, but saw nothing wrong with them, so he popped one in his mouth.

“Mmmm…Marmalade. My favorite.”

One by one, Harry consumed the confections until he had eaten about half of them. With the subtlety of stampeding manticores, he realized that he hadn’t eaten a single vomit, booger, or sardine flavored bean. Snatching the bag off of the table, Harry scanned the back of it briefly, looking at the flavors listed.

“Dobby?”

“Yes, sir?”

“How did you sort the jelly beans?” he said, watching as Dobby put an odd greenish bean into his mouth.

“Dobby sorted out Harry Potter’s favorite flavors and put them in one pile, sir. Dobby only ate the beans that Harry Potter doesn’t like, sir.”

“Does that mean you have a pile of soap and pepper flavored sweets then?”

Popping another bean into his mouth, Dobby nodded his head slowly.

Harry opened his mouth to say something, but was cut short when the train lurched to a stop. In the time that they’d been traveling the sun had set and night had caught up with them. All he could see were the stars twinkling bright in the night sky.

“This is our stop, sir,” Dobby said tentatively. “We needs to be going now.”

Stepping out of the train, Harry did a double take. Everything looked incredibly familiar. It was as if the memories of his youth were being called forward from his brain. Hogwarts castle stood before him, exactly as it had been the last year that he’d gone to school. The only thing missing was the throng of students and Hagrid shouting for the first years to follow him.

Dobby exited the train before him as if there were nothing unusual about their location. Reaching back, the elf took Harry by the hand and said, “Come, sir. It is time for the weighing of the wands.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi there!
> 
> Woohoo! Four weekly posts in a row! I'm excited about that! :) I still have a pretty decent stockpile of chapters as well, so the regular updating should continue without problem. 
> 
> So we finally get to meet with Harry in the afterlife. How do you feel about his journey to the weighing of the wand? What do you think the weighing will entail? 
> 
> Thanks as always for reading and if you have a moment to leave a comment, even if it's just a few words, it would mean a lot to me! 
> 
> ~Kaitlin


	5. Chapter 4: The Weighing Of The Wand

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A warm hand slipped into Harry’s and gave it a tight squeeze. He looked down to find Dobby looking up at him, his eyes watering as well.

  
Beautiful Chapter Image by Asphodelic @ TDA! 

Harry stepped off of the train and looked around him. The absence of the students that usually crowded the platform gave it almost an eerie feel. Only the sounds of bats flapping through the air and the occasional owl hooting in the distance could be heard. The crisp night air made Harry shiver and he pulled his robes tight around himself.

At the end of the path from the train station sat one black carriage pulled by two ferocious looking thestrals. The animals pawed and stamped as the pair approached. Clouds of steam blossomed from their noses and they chewed impatiently on their halter bits.

“Dobby isn’t liking the thestrals, sir,” whispered the elf as he hopped into the carriage.

Pausing, Harry looked at the little elf beside him. “Couldn’t you see the thestrals before?”

Dobby shook his head. “Dobby isn’t seeing the thestrals until Dobby is dead. They is making Dobby scared, sir.”

Smiling, Harry said, “They’re really rather gentle creatures, even though they look like death.”

With a shudder, Dobby took his seat, eyeing the beasts pulling the carriages. “Dobby is preferring other means of transportation, sir.”

As the carriage coasted down the path to the school, Harry saw the Black Lake glistening in the star light. If he squinted, he even thought he might’ve seen a tentacle splashing way off in its depths. He thought back to his first year at the school and the magic of seeing it from the center of the lake for the very first time. He almost wished he had been able to take the boat ride instead.

“What happens after the weighing of the wand?” Harry said, turning back to face the elf.

“Dobby isn’t knowing exactly. Dobby is hearing that it’s different for each person.”

“Earlier you said that you’re here as my guide. What are you guiding me through exactly?”

“Dobby is making sure that Harry Potter is knowing how to get around in the afterlife, sir. It’s a big place.”

Something in his the elf’s behavior made Harry suspect that he wasn’t being told the whole story. He was under the distinct impression that Dobby was choosing his words with great care. Instead of pushing him farther, Harry relaxed back into his seat. He didn’t want to ask the wrong question and have Dobby start punching himself or shutting his hands in the carriage door.

Soon the trail dipped and began to curve up towards the school. The castle loomed in sight. Lights flickered in the hundreds of windows and bats wound around the turrets. Harry half expected to find a gigantic feast waiting for him once he entered the Great Hall.

“Come Harry Potter. We is here,” Dobby said as the carriage pulled up right in front of the entrance.

The pair stepped out of the carriage and headed up the stairs into the castle. Again, Harry was struck by the lack of sound. Normally, the Great Hall would echo loudly with benches scraping, children laughing, and Filch shouting at everyone for tracking mud through the corridors. Without it, it became just a large stone building. It didn’t feel like home at all.

Walking further into the Great Hall, Harry’s footsteps echoed loudly against the stone tiles. He didn’t dare to speak for fear of how magnified his voice might sound in the empty halls.

In the very center of the room was a large brass scale. If Harry hadn’t known better, he’d have thought it was for measuring large quantities of potions ingredients. Only the faint glow radiating off of it made it look any different.

“Harry Potter must put his wand on the scale,” Dobby said, encouraging him forward.

The tension in the room was palpable as Harry walked towards the middle. The idea that his whole life would be weighed and the core of who he was analyzed in great detail made nerves swell up inside of him. He’d done his best to live a good life and be the best person he could, but like anyone he’d had momentary lapses in judgment. He wondered how harshly that would affect him.

As he stepped up to the scale, Harry noticed that there was a sort of warmth surrounding it. Within seconds he felt a sudden ease wash over him. Before he even realized what he was doing, he slipped his hand in his pocket and withdrew his wand.

Holding it in his hand, he analyzed the roughness of it. It was frayed at the edges and the phoenix feather was starting to poke through the tip, but it was still the best wand he’d ever had. Even all these years later, he’d never had any desire for a new one. His daughter, Lily always used to whine when he took it out in public. She’d felt that its shabby state was embarrassing.

With incredible tenderness, Harry set his wand on the scale. The faint glow increased until the entire room was basked in a glorious golden light. It began to vibrate with incredible force and the warmth became so hot that he had to take a step back. Rays of sparkling silver shot out from the scale and swirled through the room, creating a cage around Harry and Dobby.

“It’s sort of like Priori Incantatum,” Harry whispered, wonder clear in his eyes. “Do you suppose it’s going to sort through every spell I’ve ever done?”

“Dobby doesn’t think so, sir. Perhaps just the important ones.” the elf whispered, staring at the strands arching out from the scale.

A bright white light shot out from the tip of Harry’s wand and a loud racket filled the room. Thousands of voices where echoing off of the high ceilings and bare walls. If he concentrated, he could hear voices that he recognized in the mix. One minute he heard Ron yelling about going starkers to the Yule Ball and the next he could hear Ginny singing a lullaby to Albus when he was little. A second later he could hear Sirius and Remus talking in Grimmuald place and Fred telling Peeves to give Umbridge hell.

As the noise swelled, so did the emotions inside of Harry until he felt that he might burst. It was like listening to the song of a thousand phoenixes, each with its own distinct melody. So many things were being said at once, that he could hardly keep track. Even though he could only hear small snippets of what the different voices were saying, each one brought back a memory or caused him a distinct sensation. He could almost see the memories happening in front of him as if a movie was playing.

Tears began to form in Harry’s eyes as it all began to overwhelm him. Each voice made him ache in a very real way. Some came from people he hadn’t seen in many years. Others came from people he knew he wouldn’t see again for a very long time. Most of them were happy memories, but there were sad ones mixed in too. Harry could hear Professor McGonagall screaming as Tom Riddle had dropped his dead body on the ground. Even after all this time, the sound was still gut wrenching and occasionally had haunted his dreams.

A warm hand slipped into Harry’s and gave it a tight squeeze. He looked down to find Dobby looking up at him, his eyes watering as well. He knew that many of these voices and moments had significance to him as well. He’d been part of quite a few of them.

“It’s not sorting through my spell work. It’s sorting through my memories. From the sounds of it, every single one that I’ve ever had,” he said with a sniffle. 

“It’s almost over, sir,” Dobby whispered, dabbing at the corners of his eyes.

Seconds later, the sound stopped and the room was once again silent. Slowly, the scale began to dip to the left as if a great weight had been placed on it.

A loud sigh of relief escaped Dobby’s mouth and his muscles relaxed visibly. “Left is a good thing, sir.”

For a moment nothing happened and Harry looked around the room wondering what was going on. “Are we supposed to leave now?”

“Dobby isn’t certain, sir.”

Just as the words left the elf’s mouth, the edges of the room seemed to go fuzzy. Harry lifted his glasses and rubbed at his eyes, thinking that perhaps his vision was blurring from fatigue, but it made no difference. In fact, the room began to look as if he were seeing it underwater. Nothing seemed to be in focus.

The room began to spin, causing Harry to almost lose his balance. Dobby reached out and snatched at his hand. “Hold on tight, Harry Potter. We is about to apparate and Dobby isn’t wanting to be separated.”

A familiar tugging sensation pulled at the spot just behind Harry’s navel, confirming Dobby’s words. The room spun faster and faster until everything was a dizzying whir of color. Acid bubbled up in Harry’s throat and he had to concentrate quite intently to avoid spewing vomit all over the place.

Finally, the spinning stopped and the pair slammed down against a wall. The room they landed in was so dark that Harry could hardly see his own hands when he held them in front of his face. He didn’t quite understand why, but there was something very threatening about their new location. It radiated evil.

“Are you alright?” he whispered, helping Dobby to his feet.

“Yes, sir. Dobby is fine, sir.”

The two of them had just finished dusting themselves off when an acidic laugh tore through the still, dark air. Horror filled Harry. He would recognize that laughter anywhere and he knew it meant nothing, but trouble.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi there! 
> 
> Here's chapter 4! I'd love to know what you thought of it! Do you have any ideas of who the creepy laughter belonged to? What challenges do you think Harry will face next? How's Dobby doing as a guide so far?
> 
> Chapter 5 should be up next week as planned, but it might be a day or two early! I'm leaving on vacation to Italy, so I want to have it posted before I go. While I'm gone, I plan to keep the updates steady, however they might be slightly delayed depending on travel. 
> 
> Thanks for reading! 
> 
> ~Kaitlin


	6. Chapter 5: Worry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lily Potter waits impatiently for Harry to make it through to the afterlife.

Beautiful Chapter Image by Asphodelic @ TDA

Lily Potter sat in her living room, legs crossed, one foot bouncing nervously. Her stomach churned, acid simmering away in its depths. It had been twenty four hours since Dobby left to meet Harry at the transition point and she couldn't move past the thought that she might've made a mistake in not going herself. She wanted nothing more than to see her son and she knew that every moment until he arrived would be agony. The possibility that he might not make it through left her practically paralyzed with fear.

"Hopefully, we'll hear word soon that Dobby has found Harry. I can't imagine what's taking so long," James said. His voice drew Lily out of her thoughts and back into the conversation. Although he tried to sound as if everything were okay, she could hear the anxiety bubbling in his words. She watched quietly as he paced back and forth across the room, wearing tread marks in the carpet.

"I'm sure everything will be fine," Sirius murmured, staring intently at the corner of the room. One glance at his surly expression told Lily that he was still sore over not being chosen as Harry's guide. Secretly, she agreed with Molly. While she absolutely adored her husband's best friend and had no doubt that his intentions were genuine, his impulsive behavior wasn't quite suited for such a delicate task.

"If anything had gone wrong, I'm sure Dumbledore would've let us know," Lily said, partly to reassure herself. A snicker from Sirius made her frown. "What's so amusing?"

"The concept that Dumbledore would tell anyone anything of concrete value. That man thrives on secrets and half truths."

The corners of James' mouth lifted slightly. "Don't tell me you're still bitter about not being chosen. Look, it might not make immediate sense to all of us, but Dumbledore has his reasons for sending Dobby and we just have to trust that he knows what he's doing. It won't do us any good to sulk."

"He's never given me much reason to trust him," Sirius answered simply.

Lily shook her head in disgust. She couldn't believe how self-centered Sirius was being. She knew that he cared for Harry greatly and she understood his frustration, but Harry was her baby and she'd never even had the chance to see him grow up. At least he'd been able to spend a few years with him. She couldn't fathom why he couldn't see how much worse it was for her and James.

"Enough, Padfoot," James said in a stern voice. "You're upsetting Lily."

Sirius sat up in his chair and glanced across the room. "Sorry, Lils. You know I get a bit carried away sometimes."

"Of course." She tried to smile, but she just couldn't muster the energy to do so and the three of them lapsed into a tense silence.

Turning to the window, Lily tried to distract herself with the comings and goings of the neighborhood. Several people wandered the street, bringing home groceries to prepare dinner or walking their dogs. For ninety nine point nine percent of the population, it was an idyllic fall day, but she was chilled to the bone with the fear of losing her last chance at seeing her child.

As she stared off, two familiar figures appeared at the end of their street. She couldn't actually make out many of their features at this distance, but the shock of bright magenta hair gave them away. There was only one witch that she knew with hair that color.

"Tonks and Remus are here," she mumbled, still distracted by the passersby.

"What?" said James, springing up to open the front door.

"Moony, Tonks," Sirius muttered with the nod of his head as Remus and Tonks entered the room.

The pair took a seat on the sofa, Remus draping his arm comfortably across Tonks' shoulders. Although his behavior was relaxed, Lily thought he seemed a bit more grim than usual. There were deep bags under his eyes and his hair was a bit ruffled giving her the distinct impression that he hadn't slept well.

"I've just spoken with Dumbledore. He asked me to pass along word that Dobby has found Harry and the two of them have begun their journey."

Lily sighed, relief flooding through her body. "Well, at least we know he got there alright."

"Did Dumbledore say how the weighing went?" James fidgeted with the hem of his shirt, trying his best to channel his nervous energy into the frayed threads he was pulling at.

Tonks spoke. "He said it went well. Harry received a ninety five percent positive rating and was just set to start his tests."

"That's a good thing," Sirius said, pulling himself to a more upright position. "He shouldn't have to go through as much, right? I mean there's really not much for him to redeem."

"I don't suppose he gave you any idea of what those tests might be…" James said, trailing off.

"Prongs, you know that even he doesn't know. I know it's been awhile, but surely you remember how this works." Lily noticed just how old Remus suddenly looked as he ran his hands through his salt and pepper colored hair.

James nodded his head. "I know. I just hoped that somehow maybe Dumbledore might've gotten more information. He always seems to know what's going on, so I thought maybe he'd be able to tell us at least a little bit."

Lily hated to admit it, but she felt a bit disappointed as well. She knew that Dumbledore didn't run the afterlife and had no way to have much more information than the rest of them, but she'd still hoped he might've found something out. "What do you suppose his tests will be like?"

"Well, it my test was anything to go off of, I imagine they'll see if he can forgive Voldemort or something like that," James said, chuckling a bit too loudly.

Sirius looked up, his eyes knitted with concern. "You don't think they'd really make him face Voldemort for one of his tests, do you?"

In an instant, the easiness in the room dissipated, replaced by a heavy silence that said too clearly just how worried everyone was. Lily could feel the muscles in her shoulders tensing up, the stress she'd been keeping locked inside manifesting itself in painful little jolts.

After a few minutes, she tried her best to calm the fears. "I don't think he'd have to do that. I mean it seems almost impossible. Besides, didn't Dumbledore say something once about Voldemort's soul being irrepairably damaged?"

Remus nodded slowly. "He did. Voldemort's refusal to show any remorse for his actions condemned him."

"Good. Then that's one less thing to worry about," Lily said, a little smile forming on her face. "Harry's faced worse than this and made it through. And this time he has help. I'm certain he's going to be alright. Whatever we all might think of Dobby being chosen, he loves Harry above anything else and I have to believe that he'll do whatever it takes to get him here."

For a moment, Sirius opened his mouth to argue, but caught the expression on Lily's face and quickly shut it, returning to staring off at the corner.

"He will, Lily." Remus tried his best to sound reassuring. "Even after all of the Malfoys' abuse, he risked further injury to keep Harry safe without even knowing him. Once he had the chance to see just what a kind soul Harry is, he became completely devoted to him. Not only did he save Harry, but he saved quite a few of Harry's friends as well. You know the obvious about him apparating the prisoners out of Malfoy Manor, but before that he was sneaking food to the members of the D.A. while they were holed up in the Room of Requirements. He even did a bit of work for the Order of The Phoenix. There are quite a few people who owe their lives to that little elf. I know that Harry is in good hands with him."

Tonks nodded. "Remember how he was sneaking into the dungeons and apparating the students who'd been tortured up to Madame Pomfrey for treatment. The Carrows practically went mad trying to figure out how people kept escaping regardless of their security measures. Of course, they never bothered to stop and think that a house elf would be capable of outsmarting them. You know how the Death Eaters were. Looked down on anything or anyone that didn't fit their tidy little labels. But Dobby was just brilliant."

"I just keep thinking that if Dumbledore chose him over all of us, then there must be some quality in him that we're missing," James said, glancing at his friends. "If it were just about bravery, every single one of us could've gone. I mean everyone in this room died to protect Harry at one point or another."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi there!
> 
> I hope you've enjoyed chapter 5. As much as she's trying to remain calm for everyone, Lily seems pretty nervous. Do you think she's right to be? And what do you think about James' point that everyone in the room has died for Harry at one time or another?
> 
> And if you have a moment to leave a comment, I'd love to hear your thoughts on this chapter!
> 
> Thanks for reading!
> 
> ~Kaitlin/TreacleTart


	7. A Pitch Black Dungeon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry confronts and old enemy.

  
Gorgeous Chapter Image by Katharos @ TDA

When the spinning stopped, Dobby lost his balance and collided painfully with a cold stone floor. Springing up, he brushed himself off, taking a moment to rub his shoulder which took the brunt of his fall. It ached and as he pressed his fingers into his flesh, he could feel the bruise forming underneath it.

Dobby's attention was ripped away from the pain when blood curdling, cackling laughter tore through the silent room. Every muscle in his body went rigid and the hair on the back of his neck prickled. It bounced off of the tall ceilings, echoing back and forth until it sounded as if there were hundreds of people laughing cruelly.

Fear took hold of Dobby and every instinct in his body told him to run in the opposite direction. Every fiber of his being screamed at him to look for a way out, but Harry standing tensely beside him kept him rooted to his spot. He had to protect Harry at all costs, even if it meant facing the things that his nightmares were made of.

Steeling himself for the task at hand, Dobby prepared to take the lead. He was just about to step forward when Harry bolted towards the center of the room.

"Wait!" Dobby shouted, "Harry Potter isn't going the right way."

If Harry heard him, it didn't slow him down any. Dobby tried his best to keep up with him, but his legs couldn't move as fast as Harry's much longer ones. Breathless, he watched in horror as the large form in front of him disappeared into the shadows. Panic began to well up inside him as he realized that he was once again failing at his task. Sirius' words rang through his head, taunting him for his uselessness.

As Dobby fumbled through the darkened silence, he grasped at the walls for guidance finally finding the frigid bricks. Keeping his hand running against them helped with his sense of disorientation and prevented him from spinning around in circles.

After a few moments of running down the halls, Dobby saw the muddy reddish orange color of flames flare up a few feet in front of him. In the flickering light, he could just make out a pile of rags heaped on the floor and Harry staring down at them, a strangely intense look on his face. He wasn't sure why, but even at a distance he could feel the rage coming off of Harry in waves.

Doing his best not to startle him, Dobby moved to his side. Understanding dawned on him as the pile of rags twisted to look up at him, shooting him a glare that made his knees shake and his intestines coil into painful knots.

Wrapped in filthy, bug infested, torn black robes was his former mistress pinned to the floor by gigantic iron chains. Her hair flew wildly in all directions and was matted with sweat, giving her a crazed appearance. The pungent aroma of decay and neglect that wafted off of her body choked Dobby. Quickly, he removed his tea cozy from his head and used it to cover his nose.

As he looked her over, Dobby was horrified to see that her fingers ended in bloody stumps where she'd ripped off her nails clawing at her metal restraints. He could see several fragments of the nails stuck in the links of the chains. Her once pearlescent white smile was now bloody and rotten, her lips cracked and her mouth festering with sores. Dobby shuddered, thinking she looked more like an inferius than a human.

Although Dobby feared her greatly and remembered in vivid detail how she'd speared his heart with her knife, he couldn't help but feel the smallest twinge of sadness for the wreck that she'd become. Her deterioration said clearly that she must've spent ages like this and even though she was a monster, he couldn't fathom being punished for eternity.

Movement to Dobby's sides ripped him from his thoughts and he saw that Harry's wand hand was lifting into the air, preparing to strike a blow.

"Stop!" Dobby shouted stepping between Harry and Bellatrix, purposefully blocking the line of the intended spell.

Harry looked perplexed by the interruption, his eyebrows knitting together with confusion. "Dobby, what are you doing?" he hissed.

"Harry Potter is making a mistake!" Dobby said, fighting the impulse to hurt himself for daring to tell a wizard what to do. His hands bounced painfully against his thighs, but otherwise he remained firmly planted. "Dobby is sorry, sir, but Dobby cannot allow Harry Potter to do this."

"But Dobby, she murdered you without so much as a thought. How can you possibly defend her?"

Confusion swirled through Dobby's brain. His body bore so many scars from years of torture at her hands and there was one large scar across his chest were her dagger had pierced his flesh, cutting his life short. By all means, he should want her to suffer, but he knew deep down that it was wrong to pick on someone so weak and pitiful.

"Dobby is knowing that Harry Potter is a better wizard than that. Dobby is remembering how even after she is killing Sirius Black, Harry Potter isn't hurting her, even though he wanted to. She is a bad witch, sir, but you is a good wizard."

Slowly, Harry's began to lower his wand and Dobby smiled in triumph. It hadn't been that difficult. For just a second, he thought that maybe things would be easy after all, but then Bellatrix began to laugh once more, her chains clanging loudly against the tiles as she shook.

"Isn't that precious? A filthy house elf defending me from itty bitty wee Potter. You can go to hell! I don't need disgusting trash like you to protect me," she shrieked, her voice sounding as shrill as ever. "If my hands were free I'd kill you again."

Harry shook his head. "You're right. She's pathetic. Let's go Dobby. We'll find our way out of here."

Dobby was pleased to see Harry turn and head down the hall away from Bellatrix. He was just about to follow when she started to speak. "Not going to stick around to hear about how I killed your precious godfather in the afterlife then are you, Potter?"

Dobby shivered as the temperature in the room dropped several degrees. He looked over to Harry and saw that he was holding stalk still.

"What did you just say?" Harry asked his voice filled with a deadly rage.

Bellatrix cackled, her eyes lolling back into her skull. "That's right, Potter. My dear cousin, Sirius Black, no longer exists. I destroyed his soul here just like I did his body back on Earth. It's a shame I won't have another chance to do it again."

Turning, Harry's eyes locked onto Bellatrix. "What do you mean?"

"Didn't that filthy elf tell you what happens when a soul dies in the afterlife? They cease to exist for all eternity. There is nowhere to go from here, so the soul just disappears."

"Is this true, Dobby?" Harry asked.

Dobby noticed that Harry was shaking ever so slightly. "It is true, sir, but Dobby is thinking she is lying about Sirius."

"That stupid elf has no idea what he's talking about. Sirius came looking for you and I had the distinct pleasure of finishing him off. Killing him the first time was one of my life's greatest joys, but erasing his soul for the rest of time, I don't think anything can top that. The filthy blood traitor deserved it." Bellatrix lunged forward, causing her chains to clank against the floor.

A shred of doubt entered Dobby's heart. He knew that Sirius was upset about not being chosen as Harry's guide. A part of him couldn't help but wonder if he'd really come after them.

"Dobby is thinking that Professor Dumbledore isn't letting Sirius do that, sir. Dobby is certain that Sirius is safe," he said, wishing he could hide the note of doubt in his words. He hoped that Harry hadn't noticed.

Harry's eyebrows knit with worry. "How can you be sure? What if she's right? I can't just walk away and let her go. What if she goes after other people I care about?"

Bellatrix shrieked loudly and her eyes bulged from their emaciated sockets. "You can be certain of one thing, Potter. If I ever get out of this room, I'll hunt down every last person you love and send them the same way I sent my blood traitor cousin."

Trying to think of a reason why this couldn't possibly be true, Dobby lapsed into a momentary silence. All of the things that Dumbledore told him before he left and the things that Merv said at the portkey office swirled through his mind. He felt certain that this was the first test, but for the life of him, he couldn't figure out what Harry needed to do to pass it.

"I can't let this happen. As long as she's alive, my family will never be safe. I can't risk having her come after them, especially when the consequence of it could last for eternity," Harry said grimly. He clenched his jaw in resignation and started to lift his wand hand once more.

Just as Harry was preparing to strike an idea hit Dobby. "Harry Potter must not hurt her. Dobby is thinking she wants you to attack her, sir. If you is hurting her, you is stooping to her level."

Harry paused and Dobby was relieved when he again lowered his wand. He took a deep breath, relaxing slightly. It took him several seconds to realize that Bellatrix had gone deathly still.

"You're right Dobby. What can I do to her that's any worse than what she's already done to herself? Clearly this must be some sort of purgatory that she's stuck in and based on her appearance, I'd guess she's been here since the moment she died. It looks like she'll be paying her penance for what she did on earth for a long time."

Dobby nodded his head in agreement, hoping that he was doing the right thing by encouraging Harry to leave Bellatrix alone. He knew better than most people what she was capable of, but something deep in his gut told him that no matter how bad she'd been in life, it would be worse to attack her in this state.

"Harry Potter is right. Dobby is thinking it is best if Harry Potter is forgetting her and moving on with his life. Dobby isn't wanting you to be angry forever, sir."

Fury swelled up in Bellatrix and her shrill screams cut into Dobby's ear drums. He quickly covered his large ears with his hands, trying to muffle the awful noise.

"You are weak, Potter. You couldn't protect your friends from me on Earth and you won't do any better here. You are too cowardly to kill me and I intend to make you regret it."

Dobby was surprised to see Harry smiling, even if it didn't extend to his eyes.

"You know, I spent years on Earth worrying after you, trying to save those I loved from you. I wasted time being angry with you. I let what you did make me bitter. I thought I'd gotten over it, moved on after all of these years, but all it took was a few well chosen words to bring all of that hatred to the surface." Pausing, Harry took a deep breath as if his next words weighed a hundred stones. "You robbed me of years of my life. I won't let you do the same in the afterlife. It's clear that you are absolutely insane and that karma has caught up with you for your antics. I won't ever forget what you've done, but in order for me to move on I know that I have to forgive you."

At the moment that the last words left Harry's mouth, Bellatrix began to thrash and shake as if she were being tortured. Dobby watched, terrified as she foamed at the mouth and clawed at the ground, seeking relief. She gasped and sputtered as if she were choking on his words. A second later she dissolved into thin air, as if she'd never existed at all.

"What was that all about?" Harry asked his eyes still focused on the spot that Bellatrix had inhabited mere seconds ago.

"Dobby isn't certain, sir," he said, shaking his head. He now knew that this had been Harry's first test, but knew he was not allowed to say so. Instead, he tried his best to feign ignorance even though his desire to punish himself kept growing with every lie. "But I is thinking we should find a way out of here."

"Good idea." Harry took a few steps forward, trying to distinguish which way to go. Finally, he settled on heading towards the left.

Dobby and Harry had just taken a few steps when the ground lurched below them once more and they found themselves spinning through the darkness of space.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi there!
> 
> I'd love to know what you thought of this chapter. Do you think Harry was right to forgive Bellatrix? Do you think Bellatrix will reappear in the story or is she gone for all eternity? Leave me your thoughts in a comment!
> 
> Thanks for reading!
> 
> ~Kaitlin/TreacleTart


	8. A Lonely Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dobby fights to keep Harry on track.

When the spinning stopped, Harry opened his eyes and found himself in an idyllic neighborhood. Pastel colored houses lined the street and the yards were covered with bright, perfectly tended flowers and trees. The fragrance of treacle tart baking wafted through the air causing Harry’s stomach to rumble painfully. The sweets on the train seemed to have been ages ago.

“Where are we now, Dobby? Is this the afterlife?” Harry asked, enjoying the fresh, crisp air.

Dobby paused for a moment, observing their surroundings. “Dobby is thinking so, sir.” 

Turning to survey the area, Harry noticed one yard that stood out among the perfectly manicured lawns. The hedges were growing over the fences and the flowers that had once lined the walkway were wilted echoes of what they used to be. Leaves piled in spots around the property, decaying with age. Everything about it said despair. 

The house that stood on the lot was just as bad as the yard. Shingles from the roof had fallen to the ground and the siding hung in places, waiting to be fixed. Boards covered the windows and thick vines of ivy crept up the walls, tearing into the stone walls. Harry imagined that it had been abandoned for many years. 

For reasons unknown to Harry, something about the house called to him. He tried to turn away, but every time he focused his attention elsewhere, a voice at the back of his head began to whisper, at first quietly, but growing louder and more forceful the longer he ignored it. It reminded him of the Imperius Curse and he found himself desperately trying to fight it.

“Do you feel that pull, Dobby?” Harry said, his voice far off with distraction.

The elf nodded slowly. “Dobby is thinking we are supposed to enter that house, sir.”

Harry crossed the street, walking as if he were in a dreamlike trance, part of him relieved that he wasn’t in any danger. The house pulled harder and harder with every step he took, until he found himself in a dead sprint trying to get to the front door. His mind was so consumed with need to get inside the house that he completely forgot Dobby flailing behind him as quickly as his short legs would carry him.

At the front of the house, Harry paused, studying the decaying wood and stonework. Even though he’d never seen it before, something about it seemed so familiar. It was like trying to recall a dream he’d once had. 

Climbing up the stairs, Harry twisted the doorknob, knowing that it would be unlocked and slipped into a long dusty hallway. Old portraits of a pale looking man and an unpleasant, sallow looking woman lined the walls. The atmosphere reminded him of Grimmuald Place, but instead of shrieking portraits, the rustling of the wind against the shutters was all that could be heard.

“Hello?” Harry called, not expecting an answer. 

When he received no reply, Harry followed the hallway and found himself in a sitting room that looked like a flashback from 1950. Dust lined everything, giving the room a faded appearance. Stuffing cascaded from the ripped cushions of the couch and every wooden surface was covered in scratches. For a moment, he thought that perhaps he’d stumbled into the home of a werewolf. 

Harry was just observing the ceiling fan, which was barely attached by one screw, when a sharp intake of breath stopped him in his tracks. Shock washed over him when he turned and caught a look at the person standing in the doorway. A tall, sallow man dressed in ill fitting, tattered robes stood a few feet in front of him. Stringy black hair partially obscured the man’s face, but it didn’t matter. The minute Harry laid eyes on his stern frown, he know exactly who he was.

“Hello Professor,” Harry called tentatively, trying his best to keep his voice even. 

If Snape heard Harry, he gave no indication of it. He stood unflinching, staring straight through him.

Approaching him with the caution of an injured manticore, Harry tried again. “Professor?” 

When he still didn’t move, Harry stepped forward and placed a hand on Snape’s elbow. “Professor, do you live here?”

Harry watched in fear as Snape’s pupils dilated and his head snapped towards him. 

“Get...out,” Snape croaked, his voice a low threat of the anger that was simmering just under the surface.

“But, sir,” Harry tried.

“Get out!” Snape roared even louder this time, forcefully shoving Harry towards the doorway. “I have to be tortured by your bloody lout of a father! I will not be tormented by you as well!”

A mix of anger and pity welled up somewhere deep in the pit of Harry’s stomach. He couldn’t comprehend how after all this time, Snape could still have so much hatred for his father. It had been over a hundred years since they’d last seen each other and here Snape was acting as if his father had jinxed him yesterday. 

Shaking his head in frustration, Harry turned towards the door. “Alright. Alright. Come on Dobby. Let’s get out of here.”

Harry didn’t even wait to see if Dobby followed. He marched down the hall and slammed his hands into the front door, expecting it to burst open. Instead, he heard a loud bang and was thrown back as if he’d been hit with a stunning spell. 

“Is Harry Potter okay?” Dobby squeaked as he ran to his side. 

Rubbing his neck, Harry sat up gingerly. “I’m alright, but it seems there’s some sort of forcefield on the door.” 

Dobby looked from the door to Harry and back. “Dobby is thinking we isn’t supposed to be leaving, sir.”

“But why not? What possible reason could there be for me to be stuck here with Snape? It’s clear he doesn’t want my company and frankly, I’m not much interested in his either. I thought after all of these years and the war, perhaps his feelings would’ve changed, but come to find he’s still the same bitter man he was in life.” Dropping his hands to his lap, Harry fiddled with the hem of his shirt. 

“The afterlife is working in mysterious ways, sir.”

“That’s for sure,” he muttered under his breath. Harry had thought that once he’d died, he’d finally be reunited with his parents. It was a thought that had sustained him through many tough situations during his life, but his time spent in the afterlife thus far had him questioning if it would ever happen. He couldn’t fathom why they were taking such a convoluted route to get to his family.

Harry reached out for the hand that Dobby had extended him and pulled himself to his feet. A cloud of dust trailed behind him and cobwebs stuck to his robes. 

“Dobby is thinking Professor Snape is needing a house elf,” Dobby said, sneezing as he inhaled the dirty air.

With one last glance at the door, Harry turned and set back off into the house. He was irritated by his inability to get to his parents and the last thing he wanted to do was have a chat with Snape, but it seemed he had no other option. Resigning himself to the task at hand, Harry called out, “Professor Snape!”

Only silence answered.

“Professor Snape,” he tried again as he turned the corner back into the living room. 

Snape came flying across the room. The crazed look on his face caused Harry to stop dead in his tracks. 

“I thought I told you to get out!” Snape shouted, pushing him towards the doorway. “Get out! Get out! Get out!”

Harry held his hands up, trying his best to show an unwillingness to fight. “I can’t leave. There’s some sort of forcefield on the door preventing me from getting out. If you could just show me how to take it down, I’ll gladly be out of here.”

At Harry’s words all of the fight seemed to leach out of Snape. His arms went slack at his side and he slowly sat down in one of the shredded sofas. His eyes glazed over and he once again began to stare off at something Harry couldn’t see.

“Professor, what’s going on here? Why are you living like this?” Cautiously, Harry sat down in a chair, preparing to spring off of it should Snape decide to attack him again. 

“I have no choice.”

“What do you mean you have no choice? Of course, you do. You could fix up this house, make it pleasant to live here. You don’t have to be so miserable.” 

Snape shook his head. “You’re as arrogant as ever, Potter. You couldn’t begin to fathom what I’ve been through since I died.”

“Why don’t you try me instead of just assuming I’m incapable. You might surprise yourself,” Harry said, biting back his annoyance.

For a long moment, Snape stared off into nothingness. Just when Harry was about to give up on an answer, he spoke. “The afterlife seems determined to torture me. I am a prisoner within this house. I can’t even go outside. It’s been over eighty years since I’ve felt sunlight on my skin or been able to talk to anyone.”

“Dobby isn’t understanding. In the afterlife Dobby is coming and going freely and is visiting his friends. Why is Professor Snape being stuck inside?” the elf whispered, shock and horror in his words.

Snape shook his head. “I do not know. Since I arrived here, forcefields have blocked the doors.”

The three of them lapsed into silence, each unsure of what to say. Harry found himself looking around the house for a place to escape. He couldn’t imagine being stuck in here for a day, let alone years. He was just scanning the boards over the windows when an idea hit him. 

“What about the windows?” Harry said, striding across the room. He grasped the edges of one of the rotten wooden planks and began to tug. “I bet you if we pulled at them hard enough…”

“DO NOT TOUCH THE WINDOWS!” Snape shouted before Harry could finish his sentence. “Get away from them. Get away.”

Springing backwards, Harry lifted his hands out in front of him to shield himself from Snape’s frantic movements. “Alright. Alright. Look, I’m not touching the windows anymore.”

Dobby’s brow line wrinkled slightly. “Why is we not touching the windows, sir?”

Harry watched in horror as Snape sat down in a corner, pulled his knees to his chest and began to rock slowly. “They’re out there. They’re out there,” he muttered incessantly.

Moving slowly, Harry closed the distance between he and Snape. “Professor, who’s out there? Who’s doing this to you?”

Snape’s eyes locked onto Harry and he lurched forward, gripping at Harry’s robes. “You know! You’re part of this. You’re here to torture me just like him!”

“Just like who, Professor?” 

The rocking increased to a frenzied pace. Snape dug his nails into his shins as he moved. 

“Just like…Just like…” Snape muttered, his voice rising without warning. “Just like your swine of a father!”

Dobby stepped closer, prepared to pry Harry from Snape’s trembling fingers if necessary. “Professor Snape is being crazy, sir. James Potter is being in the afterlife, not here, sir.”

“Lies!” Snape raged back at him. “James Potter means to drive me insane. He haunts my every waking moment.”

A crease formed in Harry’s brow. “I don’t understand, Professor. How can my father be tormenting you? He isn’t here.”

Snape went stock still, his hands dropping back to his side. “Not here, foolish boy. Out there. Just outside of the window.”

Harry let out a deep gasp and sprung towards the window, knocking Dobby over in the process. He grabbed at the pieces of wood barring the window and began to pull with all his might.

“Dobby is thinking this is a trick, sir,” the small elf called from the floor, but his words were lost in the furor. All he could do was watch helplessly as Harry tore at the wood.


	9. Chapter 8: Open At The Close

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The house shook as Harry flung himself at the glass with renewed fervor. “Dad. Over here! Over here!”
> 
> Snape stepped out of the shadows, a look of uncharacteristic sadness on his face. “They can’t hear you or see you. Surely, even you could’ve figured that out, Potter.”

Dobby leapt backwards, avoiding a piece of splintering wood as Harry pried the last board from the window. Even with all the movement in the way, he could clearly see two people standing in the yard across from them. A flash of bright hair told him why Harry was behaving so strangely.

“Mum,” Harry screamed, pounding his fists against the glass. “Mum, I’m right here!”

“Harry Potter, Dobby is thinking…” he started, but was cut off by a fresh round of shouting.

The house shook as Harry flung himself at the glass with renewed fervor. “Dad. Over here! Over here!”

Snape stepped out of the shadows, a look of uncharacteristic sadness on his face. “They can’t hear you or see you. Surely, even you could’ve figured that out, Potter.” 

Harry’s hand hit the glass, but all of the fire had left him. “Dad, please…,” he whispered, more to himself than anyone in the room. 

In an instant, Dobby closed the distance to his side and took his hand. He was surprised to see tears on Harry’s cheeks. “The great Harry Potter will see his parents again soon. Dobby is thinking this is an illusion, sir.”

“Why can’t I see them now? What purpose is there to all of this?”

Snape snorted loudly. “Always the victim, aren’t you Potter? The whole bloody afterlife is out to get you because you’ve been suffering for a few minutes. So remarkably like your father.”

“Professor Snape is leaving Harry Potter alone!” Dobby said, anger swelling up in his chest. Words began to pour out of him before he could even think about what he was saying. “Harry Potter is trying to help you and you is being mean, sir. It isn’t Harry Potter’s fault you is a miserable old man. Harry Potter is doing nothing wrong. You is the one ruining everyone who is trying to help you.”

A harsh silence fell across the room and for once, Snape didn’t seem to have anything to say in return. A bright flush colored Dobby’s cheeks as what he’d just said sunk in. Normally, he’d never dare to speak to anyone like that, particularly a Wizard. 

With amazing speed, he lurched forward and began smashing his head into the wall. “Bad Dobby. Bad Dobby. Dobby mustn’t say bad things to the Professor. Bad Dobby!” He punctuated his words with the sound of his skull smacking into the jagged wood.

“Dobby, no!” Harry shouted, pulling the little elf backwards and pinning his arms to his side. “Stop hurting yourself. You’re a free elf, remember?”

“Free?” Snape spit, a nasty scowl marring his features. “No one is free here, Potter.”

As Dobby fought to still himself, he could feel Harry’s hands trembling against his shoulders. “Harry Potter is not needing to worry, sir. Dobby is thinking that Professor Snape is being in an unusual circumstance.”

“But we’re with him here now and it seems we can’t leave either. What if we’re stuck here permanently like he is?”

A surge of worry coursed through Dobby as he thought of what it might be like to be trapped in a house with Snape, but he quickly shook it off. He knew this was just the next test. Now, it was only a matter of figuring out what the it was exactly and how to get Harry to figure it out on his own. 

“Professor Snape, Dobby is wondering if you is willing to tell us about what is happening to you after you died? Who was meeting you at the transition point, sir?”

Snape frowned at the question. “What do you mean who met me at the transition point? No one met me.”

“But how is you getting here then, sir?”

“I remember being bitten by Nagini and seeing Lily’s eyes as I died. Everything afterward simply faded to black. When I woke, I was at King’s Cross Station. It seemed that the only logical thing to do was board a train. Eventually the train stopped and I exited it to find the park that I spent all of my youthful summer days in. There was a weighing of the wands and then somehow, it seems I was transported here. I’ve been stuck ever since.”

Dobby’s ears drooped slightly as he thought about how sad it was that no one had offered to guide Professor Snape along through his tests. It was no wonder that the Potions Master ended up trapped in this prison of a home. 

Just then something dawned on Dobby. He realized that if this was the first place Snape had come after his sorting, he must still be stuck in his first test. Without anyone to guide him, Dobby thought, how would he ever know what he needed to do?

“You’re sure you’re stuck here, Professor?” Harry asked, his voice a bit softer than it had been before. “There’s no way out at all? There’s nothing that you haven’t considered?”

“I assure you, Potter, I’ve attempted to escape from every potential exit in this home. Every time, it seems my way is blocked.”

A thought flashed through Dobby’s mind suddenly. He suspected that Snape wasn’t being restrained by physical barriers, but barriers within his own head. Now, he only needed to figure out how to lead Harry to the same conclusion. 

“Dobby is wondering if Professor Snape could tell us how he is feeling living next to the great James and Lily Potter? “

Harry’s eyebrows knit with worry and he looked as if he was bracing for an explosion. 

“What?” Snape asked, an incredulous look on his face.

Dobby cleared his throat nervously. “Dobby is wondering how you is feeling living next to the great James and Lily Potter?”

“I’d have thought that was perfectly clear.” 

“Sir,” Dobby tried again. “Dobby is wondering why you is hating James Potter so much?”

“What are you doing?” Harry hissed. “Are you trying to make him mad on purpose?”

The tension in the room was thick and Dobby held his breath as he waited for Snape to respond. He tried his best to stand stock still and not allow his nerves to show. 

Snape’s eyes turned dark and Dobby could see the hatred swirling in them. “That bloody git destroyed my life. He and his rotten sidekick Black spent years making me miserable any chance they could. If it wasn’t for him, maybe I’d have had a chance at a real life. Just when I think I’ve finally escaped him, I’m stuck next to him for eternity.”

“But it’s not really just about how he bullied you is it?” Harry asked with a sudden enthusiasm. “Be honest. It’s because he married my mum. That’s why you’ve never gotten over it.”

“HOW DARE YOU!” Snape shrieked. Dobby could see his hands shaking with fury and prepared himself to step in front of him if he tried to attack Harry.

“You’re right. How dare I?” Harry shouted back. “How dare I think that you might move on from my mum? How dare I think you might get over your childhood spat with my dad?! How dare I imagine that maybe, just maybe, you’d allow yourself to stop being miserable?! At this point, I’m beginning to think you just like feeling sorry for yourself. That you just want everyone to feel sorry for you too. You made a mistake and you lost out. It’s been over a hundred years. Move on!”

Dobby waited, his muscles frozen in place. He expected Snape to explode, but thus far was surprised to find him silent. 

Quietly, Snape whispered, “You can’t possibly understand.”

“I do understand,” Harry returned, his voice gentler this time. “I really do. There are no secrets between us anymore, remember? I know how much you loved her.”

The shift in the mood confused Dobby. The tenderness and pity in Harry’s eyes was unlike anything Dobby had seen from him before.

“Professor,” Harry started again, “If you loved my mum, truly loved her, you’d know that she’d never want you to be miserably pining over her. She’d have forgiven you. She’d have wanted you to move on. You have to let her go.”

“I don’t know how,” Snape muttered. His words were so quiet that Dobby almost missed them. In fact, if he hadn’t seen the Professor’s lips move, he wouldn’t have been sure he’d said it at all. 

“Dobby is thinking you is needing to forgive yourself, sir.”

The room fell into silence as Snape mulled the words over.

“He’s right, you know?” said Harry gently. “I’m certain my mum would’ve forgiven you. After everything you did to protect me for her, how could she not?”

The lines in Snape’s face softened slightly and Dobby could tell that Harry’s words were having an effect. 

“It’s my fault you didn’t have a mother. I’m as much responsible for her death as Voldemort is.”

“You had no way of knowing that he’d go after my mum.” 

“No, I didn’t, but I knew he’d go after someone. I knew that handing over the prophecy would lead to someone’s death. That fact didn’t bother me much until I realized he meant to harm Lily. If it had been just some faceless muggleborn, I might not ever have cared.”

“Dobby isn’t believing that, sir. Dobby is thinking you is a good man. You is saving the great Harry Potter and that is making up for your mistakes.”

“Did you know that my youngest son is named Albus Severus? I named him after you for all you did to save me. You are a brave man, Severus. Be brave again and let it all go.”

For a moment, Dobby thought Snape looked like he smelled something foul. His nose wrinkled up and his eyebrows contorted. He took one deep breath and released it. “Perhaps you are right, Potter. Perhaps, I have punished myself long enough.”

A brilliant burst of laughter erupted from Harry and Dobby jumped in surprise.

“I never thought I’d see the day when you admitted I was right about something, sir,” Harry said, a large smile spreading across his face. 

Dobby couldn’t help but laugh as the lines in Snape’s brow deepened. Even though he looked like he was thinking something unpleasant, Dobby could see the load lifting from his shoulders.

“Perhaps, I’ll try to leave this house once and for all. I can’t explain it, but I feel like it might be different this time, like maybe I’m not so trapped after all,” Snape said, moving towards the hall. 

With wonder in his eyes, Dobby watched as Snape walked down the corridor. He felt Harry’s hand on his shoulder, but paid it little mind. All his attention was focused on the door way. 

The eerie silence of the house was broken as the pictures lining the walls came to life. Images of angry, pasty looking relatives were replaced by images of Lily and Snape. To the right, the two of them were throwing snowballs at each other. Lily’s eyes were bright with laughter. To the left, Lily and Snape walked hand in hand as they departed the train to Hogwarts for the very first time. Lily was clinging to him as if he was the only thing holding her steady. A few feet further was a picture of Lily throwing herself into Snape’s arms and embracing him tightly. Even from a distance, Dobby could see the rosy red flush that colored his cheeks. 

At each picture, Snape stopped and stared intently as if he was trying to memorize every last image. Dobby was surprised to see a few tears fall from the Professor’s eyes.

Wordless, Snape continued until he reached the door.

Silently, Dobby hoped that the Professor would finally make it through. He held his breath as Snape reached out a bony hand towards the knob and turned it. 

“Professor Snape is doing it, Sir.”

“Yes. Yes, he finally is.” Harry murmured, smiling wistfully. 

Dobby was just about to suggest that he and Harry leave as well when Professor Snape stepped through the door and paused on the front step. Something to his left seemed to catch his attention. 

Harry stepped forward, about to say something just as Snape whispered, “Goodbye, Lily.” 

The whole room lurched and Harry and Dobby went spinning into blackness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi there! 
> 
> This chapter and the last have been by far the hardest two to write. In my opinion, Snape is the absolute most difficult character, so I really struggled with him. All of the chapters from here on out should hopefully be smooth sailing. I’ve got quite a few of them at least partially written!
> 
> I’d like to thank Banshee, PaulaTheProkaryote, Lady Asphodel and TidalDragon each for their help with this chapter. All four of them are fantastic authors in their own right and you should absolutely check out their author pages! 
> 
> Thank you as always for reading! If you have a moment to leave a comment, it would mean the world to me! 
> 
> ~Kaitlin/TreacleTart

**Author's Note:**

> Hi there!
> 
> This story was originally going to be a one-shot for the Dobby Challenge on HPFF, but as I started writing it, I realized that what I wanted to say wouldn’t fit within the confines of a one-shot, so begrudgingly I’ve decided to make it into a novel. It will center mostly around Harry and Dobby, but there will be quite a few other familiar faces as well.
> 
> I do have about the first 10 chapters written and in the editing stages, so my goal is to keep this updated weekly. However, my life has been known to get in the way of that from time to time, so I can’t promise to have a perfect updating record. Please, know that I never abandon any story though, so no fear if I miss an update.
> 
> Also, this is something relatively different from anything I’ve ever attempted before and possibly my most ambitious project, so if you have a chance to leave a review or a few words of encouragement, I’d really appreciate it! 
> 
> Thank you as always for reading!
> 
> ~Kaitlin/TreacleTart


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